


Drabbles in a Box

by Lady_Jae (misskorya)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), swan queen - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Romantic Angst, Romantic Fluff, Swan Fire, Swan Queen - Freeform, Swan-Mills Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 07:25:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4868228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misskorya/pseuds/Lady_Jae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Assorted drabbles taken from my tumblr, all of varying lengths. :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Your Majesty

**Author's Note:**

> When it was all said and done Emma and Regina realized that their love was the truest of them all.

Out of the storm, Emma walked out her body weak from the darkness leaving her. Knees falling to the ground, smoke from her body rose her hands outstretched onto the pavement. Gravel sticking and embedding itself into her skin, her hair fallen over her shoulders she struggles to get up because that would require strength.

Then just as she feels her body give into gravity, a hand catches her. 

A well manicured, painted, and cared for hand. Instantly, Emma knows who this hand belongs to. Instantly her heart burns, because she feels, she swears it’s going to be more of the same. 

Regina had walked, no ran toward Emma, shouting her name. Pushing aside the anchor of a man who swore love to her. The brunette cared not for anyone else in this moment but the woman in front of her. The woman who had shown her devotion, who had given it all up for Regina’s happiness.

She catches Emma and pulls her up to her chest, holding her, cradling her like she once held and cradled Daniel. Sweet, precious Daniel. Sweet, precious Emma she thought to herself. Wiping Emma’s hair away from her, Regina looks down at her.

Emma being held by Regina, cradled by Regina. Isn’t sure what to make of it, she doesn’t know what to do. The darkness had been everything she feared, and yet Regina had been her hope, her light, her light in the darkness. Emma’s frail hand rose to grace Regina’s sweet face.

Regina moved to embrace the hand on her face. Her own hand reached up and covered it. Her heart felt whole again, whole. How many times had Emma kick started her heart, how many times had Emma carried her through the worst that this town had to throw at her.

Emma’s hand at the back of Regina’s neck need only to move, as Regina bent over, her hair falling over just as her lips brushed against Emma’s chapped, sore, and cut lips. “You need chapstick.” Regina murmured.

“My apologies, your majesty.” Emma smiled through the kiss, pulling Regina toward her with a tug on her lower lip. Inhaling all that was the mayor, all that was Regina Mills. 

In that moment they both came to the realization that their love was true, and as if they needed confirmation. A ripple of their magic flooded throughout the town releasing it from the dark one’s grasp.


	2. I Will Save You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina dreams of something that will never be, but also of something she's wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without getting into a long debate that would flood the dashboard of all tumblr's for eternity. Yes, Ada Jane Hood-Mills is Outlaw Green baby she is being raised by Emma Swan, Regina Mills and Robin Hood. I may decide to include her in future drabbles.

Regina feels terrible coming home so late, but then she pulls up to the manor and she notices the bug. A small smile curls into her lips, she knows well who is at her home. Who has made it a true home, and as she slips out of her Mercedes with briefcase in hand she struts up toward the front door and thinks for a moment.

No.

She walks back toward the Mercedes and pulls into the garage. She’s home now, and she doesn’t want to be anywhere else. Finally, she shuts off the car and heads straight for the backdoor. She can hear music it’s AC/DC and she’s okay with this. Her heart swells because ever since that day, ever since they rid the town of the dark one… Well.

She opens the door and finds her family, Emma, Henry and baby Ada who was most certainly an unexpected addition but here she was. Her sister’s daughter who didn’t know any different rushes to her feet and hugs her screaming.

“MAMA!” Ada shouts, Emma trudges after the toddler and places a hand in the air as she does her best to catch her breath.

Regina scoops Ada into her arms. “Well hello Ada, did you miss me?”

Ada only looks at Regina with the signature Mills’ side eye which gets a chuckle out of the mayor as she nuzzles Ada’s nose. “Eskimo kisses!” She says with a smile and the toddler laughs.

Henry’s turning the music down as Emma walks toward her girlfriend and Ada. “I’m going to guess that council meeting ran longer than expected?”

“Yeah.” Regina huffs just as she sets Ada down. “Henry, I want to see your homework.” Without looking she heads toward the kitchen, rather the fridge to examine its contents to determine if there is anything she can whip up.

“Oh don’t worry about that Mary Margaret already fed us, and sent a little plate for you.” Emma points to it in the fridge. “Robin will be here tomorrow afternoon to get Ada.” 

“I go with Papa.” Ada says with a smile. “We’re going fishing!”

Regina’s not entirely sure how to react to the idea of fishing. Even though Henry’s gone fishing plenty of times, but as she looks down and sees Ada brimming with excitement. “Wear a life jacket and stay close to your brother and father.”

A knock at the door but it was merely a moment before it opened, Regina turns to see Neal walking through. He waves and sticks his hand in his pocket, “kid you ready?”

“Hold on.” Henry says finishing up his chores. “I gotta show mom my homework and then I’ll be ready.”

“Have him home at a proper time Mr. Cassidy and no soft drinks after ten.” Regina says as she stands there with her shoulders square.

Neal runs his other hand through his hair, Emma manages a hi and leads Ada out of the kitchen and into the living room to watch Princess Sofia. Neal leans against the cabinetry as he shuts the back door. “I’ll bring the kid back, Regina. I always do.”

“Thank you.” She says as she’s never really been comfortable around Neal, though she supposes the same goes for Emma with Robin. “I’ve noticed you’ve managed to find some work around here.”

“Ah yeah, yeah, people need a handy man and well that’s me.” Neal says sheepishly as he waits for Henry. 

Regina realizes that Henry might be awhile and asks. “Would you like a drink, or a cookie?” She points to the bowl that is alarmingly empty. “Or perhaps fruit instead…” Her voice trails off as she tries to think how many of the cookies were eaten by the kids and how many were eaten by Emma.

“Nah, I’m good but thanks, I’ll just take a seat over here.” He walks toward the island and sits down. Neal licks moisture into his chapped lips and sits with his hands on the counter.

In the other room Regina can hear Emma and Ada clapping along to a song. She smiles leaning against the counter as it becomes music to her ears. The brunette isn’t sure how long she was there, but long enough for Neal to clear his throat and motion to Henry. 

“Right, of course.” Regina holds out her hand as Henry passes his homework and tells his mom which chores he has completed. “When is this essay due, Henry?” 

“Friday.” He says plainly. “So dad what are we doing tonight?”

“Figured we go bowling, Mushu wants a rematch so I figured we give him one.” Neal replies with a smile as Henry nods in approval.

Regina looks toward Henry after skimming his essay. “Okay, we’re going to work on this essay tomorrow night. I should be home at my normal time, and perhaps your dad might be better suited to this.” 

Neal’s ears perk as he looks at the paper that Regina slides his way. “Oh, what is - I see, well I might not be the best guy for this but I think if we talk to Belle she might be able to help.”

Henry only nods as he takes his homework and sets it on the dining room table. “Great, can we go now?”

Motioning toward Regina, Neal waits. “It’s her call kid.”

“Yes you can go, stay safe and please sanitize your shoes first!” Regina shouts as Henry runs out the back door.

Neal’s laughing as he waves at Regina. “Later Regina, I’ll have him home in a timely manner.” He gives her a wink and walks out shutting the door behind him. 

Emma walks into the dining room and picks up Henry’s homework, Regina gives her a look. “Don’t worry, Ada’s asleep. I put her on the sofa.” Emma then glances at Henry’s homework. Pushing her lips together she shrugs and shuffles them into a neat pile. “I can run this up to his room.” 

Regina sets her hand on Emma’s forearm. “It can wait.” She says softly, pulling Emma toward her. The blonde is a little surprised as she sets her son’s homework down and moves in closer toward her girlfriend.

“Is it my birthday?” Emma wonders aloud with a cheeky grin.

Regina wraps her hands into Emma’s t-shirt. 

She leans into the blonde’s embrace her lips gently brushing against the blonde’s. Emma puts her hands along Regina’s waist she inhales to deepen their kiss. Regina leans into her girlfriend’s arms as they wrap around her. Taking a moment to breathe the brunette smiles and says. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Emma says as she goes in for another kiss, Regina stops her with one finger. “Okay now I’m a little confused.” The sheriff says her lips on Regina’s finger.

The mayor looks into Emma’s eyes and says. “You don’t have to be here, but you are.”

“Because I love you, I love Henry, and Ada she’s totally got me wrapped around her finger.” She replies with a smirk, adding. “Must be a Mills thing.”

“Must be.” Regina affirms but then says. “I don’t know what I did to-”

Now it’s Emma’s turn to put her finger on Regina’s lips. “Regina, I love you. I do, because you do everything, you are incredibly strong and I have no idea what our family would do without you… but.” She puts her hand up before Regina can get a word in. “But you deserve this, you deserve happiness.”

Finally, Emma adds. “Besides I promised you a happy ending, didn’t I?”

The words echo in her mind, in her heart. Regina’s eyes flutter open taking in the darkness of her room. Her hands feel the cold spot beside her, she rolls to look and takes in the emptiness of her room. Laying on her back she puts her hands on her face and takes a deep breath. 

Emma was her happy ending, no is, is her happy ending she corrects as she walks toward the windows. Moonlight cascading in, she stares out definitely as if to dare the gods of dreams to taunt her once more. Taunt her with a life that does not exist, could not, exist. Neal was dead, but more so was the idea that she could have such a peaceful life with Emma.

Regina bites the inside of her lips because she does not want to shed tears. Instead she lifts her hands and where once a fireball might’ve dance now lies a ball of energy as she makes her vow. “I will save you, if it is the last thing I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay you made it! I've got more drabbles! See me on tumblr at misskorya!


	3. Get Your Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina is at the loft with Mary Margaret, and they talk about Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had been listening to Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack on my way to the store and well...

There was a tragedy here, more than the obvious. More than the fact that the town cried over Emma. No, the tragedy here was that Regina realized that her heart belonged to another. She sits in the loft her teeth clenched together, her lips pursed as she looks out onto the open floor that is the combined living room, dining room and kitchen.

Mary Margaret approaches Regina and asks softly. “Are you okay?” Her voice is sweet, just as it once was. It’s filled with an understanding, a mutual understanding as Regina’s eyes look over toward the woman before her. 

Her voice shakes, but she doesn’t falter when she speaks. “I’m fine.”

“I miss her, too.” Mary Margaret says as she turns to stand shoulder to shoulder with Regina. A silence washes over them, and it’s thick because both women want to cry. Mary may have given in to her feelings, but Regina refuses because to do that would be to acknowledge just how deeply she feels for Emma.

Instead Mary Margaret crosses her arms and recalls a memory. “Do you remember Henry had just seen Guardians of the Galaxy with Emma, and he starts to play the soundtrack, and.”

“And your idiot husband and daughter start dancing.” Regina finishes, as she recalls that night. “Yes, I do.” A smile delights itself upon her face as she continues. “You and Charming were so sickening sweet.”

“Yeah and Emma…” 

Regina shuts her eyes and shakes her head, a little bit of a laugh falls out of her mouth but she doesn’t take it back. “Emma wanted to dance.” Her smile grows as she laughs at the memory.

Emma was dancing and singing. “Come and get your love, come and get your love.” Shaking her shoulders with her hands motioning that come here motion with her fingers. Mouthing the words as she shimmies her way toward Regina pulling the reluctant mayor into a dance. 

Regina protested. “Miss Swan!”

“C’mon Regina.” Emma says in a way that only she can say it.

“C’mon Mom, dance!” Henry eggs this on as he finds it more than amusing.

Regina knows better than to turn to Mary and David for help, the two of them are dancing like two naughty children who ran away from the ball. Instead of fighting it she gave in. Moving to the beat of the song as Emma moves with her the two danced around each other.

Admittedly Regina got more into the song than she thought she would. The way she mouthed, ‘come and get your love.’ To Emma and how Emma would respond by pulling her into a twirl and a dip, dancing with the mayor as if it were second nature.

As if, Regina thinks now. As if they had been meant to dance together all their lives. Any sense of a romantic moment was brought down when Henry joined in the dance. 

In the present Regina’s smile grows wider. She’d never seen Henry so happy, than that night, dancing with his parents. Singing way off key and eating nachos that were so unhealthy but so good. Looking over toward Mary Margaret she says to her. “We’ll find Emma, and we’ll bring her back. I promise.”

“I know.” Mary’s voice is optimistic as she walks toward the open floor of the room. Picking up a picture that laid in a handmade frame she brought it to Regina and presented it to her. “She’s always cared about you, you know that right?”

Taking the picture with a raised brow. Regina looks, it’s a photo of herself, Emma and Neal with Henry just after rescuing him from Neverland. Setting her hand on the glass frame. Regina mourns what never was, and the tragedy that was never realizing what she felt for Emma, sooner. “I think.” Regina begins to say collecting her thoughts as she looks up and focuses her attention on Mary Margaret. “I think deep down, I always knew.” She moves to hand the photo back, but Mary puts a hand up.

“Keep it.” She says. “I have plenty of pictures of Emma.”

Regina smiles as she presses the frame to her chest. “Thank you.”

“You can thank me after we save Emma.” Mary Margaret says she moves past Regina to tend to a now fussy baby Neal. 

The mayor quietly departs the loft and heads toward her mercedes. Sliding into the driver’s seat she sets the picture frame on the passenger seat beside her. Taking a deep breath she exhales, looking at the time she realizes she’s needed for a meeting and starts the car.

Not content to sit and listen to silence, as she’s had plenty of it. Regina turns her car’s radio on, and as if it were fate or Emma’s way of calling for her. Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love moves through the speakers. 

There was a tragedy here, more than the obvious. More than the fact that the town cried over Emma. No, the tragedy here was that Regina realized that her heart belonged to another. She sits in the loft her teeth clenched together, her lips pursed as she looks out onto the open floor that is the combined living room, dining room and kitchen.

Mary Margaret approaches Regina and asks softly. “Are you okay?” Her voice is sweet, just as it once was. It’s filled with an understanding, a mutual understanding as Regina’s eyes look over toward the woman before her. 

Her voice shakes, but she doesn’t falter when she speaks. “I’m fine.”

“I miss her, too.” Mary Margaret says as she turns to stand shoulder to shoulder with Regina. A silence washes over them, and it’s thick because both women want to cry. Mary may have given in to her feelings, but Regina refuses because to do that would be to acknowledge just how deeply she feels for Emma.

Instead Mary Margaret crosses her arms and recalls a memory. “Do you remember Henry had just seen Guardians of the Galaxy with Emma, and he starts to play the soundtrack, and.”

“And your idiot husband and daughter start dancing.” Regina finishes, as she recalls that night. “Yes, I do.” A smile delights itself upon her face as she continues. “You and Charming were so sickening sweet.”

“Yeah and Emma…” 

Regina shuts her eyes and shakes her head, a little bit of a laugh falls out of her mouth but she doesn’t take it back. “Emma wanted to dance.” Her smile grows as she laughs at the memory.

Emma was dancing and singing. “Come and get your love, come and get your love.” Shaking her shoulders with her hands motioning that come here motion with her fingers. Mouthing the words as she shimmies her way toward Regina pulling the reluctant mayor into a dance. 

Regina protested. “Miss Swan!”

“C’mon Regina.” Emma says in a way that only she can say it.

“C’mon Mom, dance!” Henry eggs this on as he finds it more than amusing.

Regina knows better than to turn to Mary and David for help, the two of them are dancing like two naughty children who ran away from the ball. Instead of fighting it she gave in. Moving to the beat of the song as Emma moves with her the two danced around each other.

Admittedly Regina got more into the song than she thought she would. The way she mouthed, ‘come and get your love.’ To Emma and how Emma would respond by pulling her into a twirl and a dip, dancing with the mayor as if it were second nature.

As if, Regina thinks now. As if they had been meant to dance together all their lives. Any sense of a romantic moment was brought down when Henry joined in the dance. 

In the present Regina’s smile grows wider. She’d never seen Henry so happy, than that night, dancing with his parents. Singing way off key and eating nachos that were so unhealthy but so good. Looking over toward Mary Margaret she says to her. “We’ll find Emma, and we’ll bring her back. I promise.”

“I know.” Mary’s voice is optimistic as she walks toward the open floor of the room. Picking up a picture that laid in a handmade frame she brought it to Regina and presented it to her. “She’s always cared about you, you know that right?”

Taking the picture with a raised brow. Regina looks, it’s a photo of herself, Emma and Neal with Henry just after rescuing him from Neverland. Setting her hand on the glass frame. Regina mourns what never was, and the tragedy that was never realizing what she felt for Emma, sooner. “I think.” Regina begins to say collecting her thoughts as she looks up and focuses her attention on Mary Margaret. “I think deep down, I always knew.” She moves to hand the photo back, but Mary puts a hand up.

“Keep it.” She says. “I have plenty of pictures of Emma.”

Regina smiles as she presses the frame to her chest. “Thank you.”

“You can thank me after we save Emma.” Mary Margaret says she moves past Regina to tend to a now fussy baby Neal. 

The mayor quietly departs the loft and heads toward her mercedes. Sliding into the driver’s seat she sets the picture frame on the passenger seat beside her. Taking a deep breath she exhales, looking at the time she realizes she’s needed for a meeting and starts the car.

Not content to sit and listen to silence, as she’s had plenty of it. Regina turns her car’s radio on, and as if it were fate or Emma’s way of calling for her. Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love moves through the speakers. 

Hey (hey) Nothin’s a matter with your head, baby, find it  
Come on and find it

 

Hell, with it, baby, ‘cause you’re fine and you’re mine  
And you look so divine

 

Come and get your love

Come and get your love

Come and get your love

Come and get your love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just couldn't help but think of Emma and Regina dancing to this song, just as a happy family moment of being silly and carefree.


	4. You Deserve More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Ruby talk about feelings, happiness and other such nonsense that Regina can't really believe she's even talking about... with Ruby Lucas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies to Red Beauty shippers in advance.

Regina sits in the diner, alone having waved the hooded forest rat off to do whatever it is he does with his time now. None of that concerns her, at least for the moment. For the moment she can only think of what the pirate said to her. Regina wasn’t soft, no, but she did feel and she felt for Emma how could she have allowed such foolishness.

She let this happen, she let Emma in. 

Looking up from her coffee cup she studies the diner. Her heart pounds because she wishes just for a moment that Emma would stroll right through those doors with that swagger, her own how do you do - nothing can get me Charming swagger. Instead, she looks back down to her coffee cup and instantly she swears she can hear the blonde.

“You know I think Granny has a bagel with your name on it.” She’d say, while sliding the plate toward her. Regina sighs because she knows that Emma wouldn’t want her to mope about anything. Emma would say. “Regina you’ve worked hard for your happy ending, you deserve this.”

I deserve you. Regina says in her mind as she takes a sip of her coffee. This place holds too many memories she decides as she sets a ten on the table and walks right out those doors.

She expected to have the morning to herself, but she could hear the footsteps and Regina swore she could smell the wet dog herself. “Please, could you dig up a bone or walk yourself.” Her voice filled with her sass but bogged down by her loneliness, by her heart that continued to sink into an ocean of guilt and grief.

“Save it, Regina.” Ruby says as she looks at the former evil queen. “I heard what happened, hell I saw what went down.”

“Then you know that I don’t want talk about this right now, I have to meet the Charmings.” She says doing her best not to say idiots. 

Ruby then responds. “I’ll walk with you, besides it gets boring walking myself.”

Regina cracks a smile and adds. “Should I fetch you a leash?”

“Please.” Ruby’s playful tone earns a light chuckle from Regina. “Let us help you.” She says almost unexpectedly.

Almost. Regina half expected this conversation to go somewhere else as they walk down main street. “I have to ask Miss Lucas, why?”

“Why what?” She challenges ready to defend her position at a moment’s notice.

“Easy lassie, I mean why ask me.” Regina clarifies.

“Oh.” Ruby takes herself down a notch and replies. “This is your operation, your mission and I get it now.”

Regina stops to face Ruby. “Get what?”

“I get why Emma cares so much about you.” Ruby says with her hands behind her back, her feet kicking at the sidewalk. “Why she wants you to be so happy, even if it’s not with her.”

Regina could say a lot of things right now but she lets Ruby finish.

“She loves you.” Ruby says it and she says it because it’s true. “It doesn’t take pixie dust to see true love.” 

Those words sting. Sting more than it should but then Ruby looks at Regina with those eyes, her own wolf pup eyes. “You’ve been lonely for so long and the moment your eyes light up for Robin, is the same moment Emma is wounded but she puts on a face and cheers for you.”

“Let me guess, Miss Swan pours her tears into your beers?”

“No.” Ruby retorts. “She doesn’t cry, crying would mean she’s showing her feelings. She doesn’t want you to see that, she’s just looking for a home, for safety and so do you, you look for the same things. So you both choose safety, in men. Because there’s an underlying fear… of reject and neither of you can take it.”

Regina scoffs. “And since when have you become such an expert?”

“I know a thing or two about love, Regina. Just because I’m a wolf doesn’t mean that I haven’t loved or known what it is to be loved.” Ruby counters and steps up toward Regina. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t know what it is to long after someone to want for them to be happy even if it’ll never be with you, even if they keep making the same choices.” Ruby’s voice is about to crack and her eyes shift toward Belle as the brunette enters the library.

“The beauty and the beast.” Regina says softly tucking her hand under Ruby’s chin. “Ruby.” Her voice is still, soft and comforting shifting into a tone she often uses with Henry. The mayor continues. “I didn’t mean to say it like that, I just. I’m not in a very good place.”

Taking a deep breath she watches as the library doors close. “Belle and I will never have even an ounce of friendship, the best we can hope for is respect, but you.” Regina sucks in a breath, she’s not sure why she’s saying this or why it’s coming out of her mouth but somewhere she places blame on Emma and the two simpletons she calls mom and dad. “You deserve more, you shouldn’t be made to wait, to pine over someone who won’t return your affections, who can’t return them.” She amends. 

Suddenly the words she says start to sting within herself, as if fate had planned for this to happen all along. The more the mayor speaks the more she understands what Ruby was saying, more she understands some of Emma’s actions and behavior, although to be honest she’s not sure if she’ll ever fully understand Emma Swan. 

Ruby’s face contorts with emotion, but Regina keeps a gentle grip on her chin.

“Belle needs all the friends she can get, so be that, be her friend.” Regina tells her and then adds. “There are plenty of others for you, who deserve your affections.” She pauses for a moment.

“Now.” She removes her hand from Ruby’s chin and straightens out her jacket. Clearing her throat she settles back into her routine. “Go give yourself a flea bath, you’re making me itch.”

Ruby stays, standing there before Regina she replies. “Regina.”

“Yes Miss Lucas?”

“You deserve better.” Ruby continues. “You and Emma both.”

There’s a softness to Regina’s eyes as she acknowledges the wolf. “I know.”

“I will help you find her.” It’s not a question anymore, it’s a statement and a fact as Ruby’s eyes seem to illuminate with the wolfly glow. A sign perhaps showing her loyalty. 

While tempted to say thank you, Regina thinks back to what the pirate said, as if she’s gone soft, stupid handless wonder. “What? Do you expect me to sing for you and summon all the forest creatures? Get out of my way.” She walks past Ruby pushing her aside, she was not soft and she was not just standing there having some smushy, squishy talk about love and happiness with the wolf of all people.

“Love you too Regina!” Ruby shouts like a dog wagging its tail.

“Go take yourself for a walk, Miss Lucas!” Regina shouts in return but her voice is more uplifting, playful even as she looks over her shoulder and watches the young woman head off into the opposite direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda shipped Frozen Wolf during 4A. Although in an AU I'm sold on Red Beauty. Maybe I should work Elsa back into this, they were always fun. Anyway thanks for the support and kudos!

**Author's Note:**

> This received so many notes (okay not like a lot but enough) that I decided to start putting them here on Ao3. I appreciate all your support!


End file.
